Lot 524: Ney, Michel

Lot 524: Ney Michel: (1769-1815) Marshal Of France. An Excellent L.S., Ney, Two Pages, Folio, Landau, 5 Vendemiaire An 8 (27Th September 1799), To General Colaud In Strasbourg, On The Printed Stationery Of The Armee Du Rhin, With A Small Vignette, In French. Ney Announces 'General Massena Informs Me Presently, My Dear General, That He Sees Threats On All Fronts, And Mainly On The Limath, On The 2 Vendemiaire' And Continues 'It Is Likely That You Already Know The Outcome Of This Operation, And So The Request I Make Of You, My Dear General, To Have Generals Decaen And Bonnami Open Out The Positions Occupied By The Enemy Before Kell And Brisach Will Come Too Late, As I Am Certain This Measure Will Already Have Been Employed. Prince Charles Appears To Be Moving Along The Rhine Going Towards Switzerland. For The Most Part He Only Leaves Behind An Observation Corps, By Mainz, By Manheim And Near Seltz. This Last Spot Was To Serve As A Passage To The Upper Rhine, But The Difficulty Of Transporting The Pontoons Will Have Forced Him To Abandon This Course Of Action. It Is Also Possible That General Massena Has Defeated Him'. With Integral Address Leaf. A Letter Of Fine Content. Some Extremely Light, Very Minor Age Wear, Vg Andre Massena (1758-1817) Marshal Of France. Archduke Charles Of Austria (1771-1847) Duke Of Teschen. Austrian Field Marshal, Considered One Of Napoleon'S Most Formidable Opponents. It Could Be Argued That The Year 1799, In Which The Present Letter Was Written, Was The Only Brief Period When The Two Future Marshals Of France, Ney And Massena, Cooperated With Some Degree Of Amicability. Earlier In The Year Massena, Defeated By Archduke Charles, Had Retreated To Switzerland. However, In September, The Archduke Was Ordered To Move His Troops To The Rhine, And The Russian General Alexander Suvorov (1729-1800) Now Faced Massena. Delays In Correspondence Meant That The Present Letter Had Been Superceded At The Time It Was Written. Over The Previous Two Days, 25Th & 26Th September, Massena Engaged Suvorov In The Battle Of Zurich. Massena'S Victory Led To Him Being Hailed As The Saviour Of The French Republic.]
International Autograph Auctions' Autograph Auction September 2015
Saturday, 26th September 2015
Estimate: £200-300